IH Logo PNG
IH is the name of the agricultural machinery producer and distributor from the United States, which was established in 1902 as the International Harvester, and turned into Navistar International in 1986. The company was well-known for its trucks and tractors, and also produced small garden and household equipment, such as lawn-movers.
Meaning and history
The International Harvester was a real people’s’ brand, which produced not only large commercial and agricultural machinery but also equipment, needed in every house. Due to its wide market, the brand didn’t care about the recognizability of its logo much and simply used a stylized monogram on its vehicles. The IH logo was redesigned just once, in 1986, in an attempt to get a more modern and progressive look.
What is IH?
IH, previously known as the International Harvester, is one of the largest American companies, engaged in the production of agricultural machinery. The company was established in 1902, and today is a part of the Navistar International Corporation.
1902 – 1986
The very first logo for the International Harvester was introduced in 1902 and stayed with the company for more than 80 years, which is very impressive. It was an elegant monogram in burgundy, placed on a plain white background. The overlapping letters featured thin smooth lines and delicate soft serifs, which added style and sophistication. The “H” was placed inside the thin “C”, which looked almost like a closed ring, and the thick straight “I” was crossing the “H” in its middle, coming from the top point of the “C” to the bottom one.
1986 – Today
In 1936 the company hires a famous artist Raymond Loewy to redesign the letter series of their tractors. The result was so good that the management asked Loewy to also rethink the main badge. And this is how the famous “Man on Tractor” logo appeared: Loewy sketched it on a menu while being on the train from Chicago to New York. However, it took some time for the company to change the official visual identity of the International Harvester, and the logo was introduced only in 1946.
The main part of the new logo consisted of two letters — the uppercase “H” in a massive bold sans-serif, drawn in black, and the lowercase “I” with square shapes, executed in red and placed over the “H”. The dot above the “I” was replaced by the square, which made the whole logo look masculine and strong.
As for the “International Harvester” inscription, set under the emblem, it was written in all capitals of a simple and neat sans-serif typeface, in black. The letters were slightly narrowed and looked very modest, giving all attention to the black and red monogram in the center of the badge.
The iconic “Man On Tractor” emblem was kept even after the acquisition of the brand by Navistar in 1986.
Font and color
The International Harvester inscription from the bottom part of the IH logo is written in the uppercase of a traditional and clean sans-serif typeface, which is very close to such fonts as Arial Arabic Bold and Akhbar Bold, the strict and neat types with professional and fundamental character and a sense of stability.
The red and black color palette of the International Harvester visual identity is a representation of the passion and strength of the company. This combination also evokes a sense of seriousness and protection, though sometimes can look brutal and even aggressive, depending on the placement.
